SOC 51-9032 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO · 3 metro areas compared
In Denver, CO the median wage for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $54,950 a year, which is 18.0% higher than the national figure of $46,570.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -2.3%
- Openings per year
- 5,300
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Denver, CO the median wage for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $54,950 a year, which is 18.0% higher than the national figure of $46,570. Half of workers earn between $49,610 and $59,140. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $43,650 and the ninetieth at $61,260.
The area has 400 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.2 of every thousand jobs. Colorado Springs leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $51,590. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 449th of 648 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $43,650 | −6.3% |
| 25th | $49,610 | +6.5% |
| Median (50th) | $54,950 | +18.0% |
| 75th | $59,140 | +27.0% |
| 90th | $61,260 | +31.5% |
| Mean | $53,960 | +15.9% |
Other metro areas in Colorado
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado Springs | $51,590 | 60 | |
| 2 | Boulder | $44,650 | 50 | |
| 3 | Greeley | $41,350 | 70 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Denver run 5.8% above the national average, so the median of $54,950 buys what $51,938 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 11.5% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$54,950as reported by BLSLocal price level
105.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$51,938US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $54,950 a year, 18.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $43,650 to $61,260 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 400 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Colorado Springs, at $51,590.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Denver, CO?
The median annual wage is $54,950, or $26.42 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $46,570, so pay in Denver, CO is 18.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Denver, CO earns more than $61,260 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $43,650 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Colorado Springs, at $51,590 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 400 jobs in this occupation in Denver, CO. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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